Sleeves formed of polymeric materials having a texture or appearance simulating the texture or appearance of paper

ABSTRACT

A substantially flexible shape-sustaining article having an appearance simulating paper made by forming a flexible, laminated material having a paper-like texture or appearance into a substantially flexible article for receiving an object. The substantially flexible article includes a base having a lower end, an open upper end with an object opening extending therethrough and a decorative border extending outwardly from the open upper end of the base. The lower end of the base of the article may be closed and may also contain a gusset.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Ser. No.09/098,898 filed Jun. 17, 1998, entitled “POLYMERIC MATERIAL HAVING ACLOTH-LIKE APPEARANCE”.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

[0002] Not applicable.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0003] The present invention relates to polymeric materials having atexture and appearance simulating the texture and appearance of paper,and more particularly but not by way of limitation, to preformed,shape-sustaining flower pot covers, flower pot and floral wrappings, andribbon materials made from such polymeric materials. In one aspect, thepresent invention relates to methods for producing preformed,shape-sustaining flower pot covers and methods of wrapping floralgroupings and flower pots with a sheet of polymeric material having atexture and appearance simulating the texture and appearance of paper toprovide a decorative cover for such floral groupings and flower pots.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0004]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a sheet of polymeric materialhaving a texture and appearance assimilating paper constructed inaccordance with the present invention.

[0005]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the sheet of polymeric materialhaving a texture and appearance assimilating paper of FIG. 1 having abonding material disposed along one edge thereof.

[0006]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the sheet of polymeric materialhaving a texture and appearance assimilating paper of FIG. 2 having afloral grouping disposed thereon.

[0007]FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the floral grouping of FIG. 3being wrapped with the sheet of polymeric material having a texture andappearance assimilating paper of FIG. 2 by one method of wrapping.

[0008]FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a decorative cover for the floralgrouping formed from the sheet of polymeric material having a textureand appearance assimilating paper of FIG. 2 wherein the decorative coverformed from the sheet of polymeric material has a conical configuration.

[0009]FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a decorative cover for the floralgrouping formed from the sheet of polymeric material having a textureand appearance assimilating paper of FIG. 2 wherein the decorative coverhas a substantially cylindrical configuration.

[0010]FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a decorative cover positionedabout a flower pot wherein decorative cover is formed from the sheet ofpolymeric material having a texture and appearance assimilating paper ofFIG. 1.

[0011]FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of a flower pot cover former andband applicator apparatus having the sheet of polymeric material havinga texture and appearance assimilating paper of FIG. 1 disposed above anopening of the flower pot cover former and band applicator and having aflower pot disposed above the sheet of polymeric material having atexture and appearance assimilating paper.

[0012]FIG. 9A is a perspective view of a sheet of expanded corepolymeric film having a texture and appearance assimilating paperwherein an acrylic heat sealable lacquer is disposed on at least onesurface thereof.

[0013]FIG. 9B is a perspective view of a laminated sheet of materialwherein one surface is modified or textured to provide the sheet oflaminated material with a texture and appearance assimilating paper.

[0014]FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a preformed pot cover formed froma sheet of polymeric material having a texture and appearanceassimilating paper.

[0015]FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the preformed pot cover of FIG.10 having a flower pot disposed therein.

[0016]FIG. 12 is a diagrammatic, cross-sectional view of a male andfemale mold having a sheet of polymeric material having a texture andappearance assimilating paper disposed therebetween for forming thepreformed pot cover of FIG. 10.

[0017]FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a floral sleeve formed from thesheet of polymeric material having a texture and appearance assimilatingpaper.

[0018]FIG. 14 is a perspective view of the floral sleeve of FIG. 13disposed about a floral grouping.

[0019]FIG. 15 is a perspective view of a floral sleeve having a cinchingmember wherein the floral sleeve is formed from a sheet of polymericmaterial having a texture and appearance assimilating paper.

[0020]FIG. 16 is a perspective view of the floral sleeve of FIG. 15disposed about a floral grouping.

[0021]FIG. 17 is a side view of a sleeve having a detachable portionwherein the sleeve is formed from a sheet of polymeric material having atexture and appearance assimilating paper.

[0022]FIG. 18 is a perspective view of the sleeve of FIG. 17 having aflower pot disposed therein.

[0023]FIG. 19 is a perspective view of a flower pot disposed in thesleeve of FIG. 17 wherein an upper portion of the sleeve has beenremoved to provide a decorative cover having a skirt.

[0024]FIG. 20A is a perspective view of a polymeric ribbon materialhaving a texture and appearance assimilating paper.

[0025]FIG. 20B is a perspective view of a polymeric ribbon materialformed of an expanded core polymeric film having a texture andappearance assimilating paper.

[0026]FIG. 20C is a perspective view of a laminated polymeric ribbonwherein at least one surface of the laminated polymeric ribbon ismodified or textured to provide the laminated polymeric ribbon with atexture and appearance assimilating paper.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Description of FIGS. 1-9

[0027] Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, designated generally by thereference numeral 10 is a sheet or web of polymeric material having atexture and appearance assimilating paper (hereinafter referred to asthe sheet of polymeric material 10 or the sheet of polymeric material 10having a texture and appearance assimilating paper). That is, at leastone surface of the sheet of polymeric material 10 has been modified toprovide a matte or textured finish assimilating the texture andappearance of paper. The term “texture and appearance assimilatingpaper” may be used interchangeably herein with the terms “matte ortextured finish assimilating the texture and appearance of paper” and“texture and appearance simulating the texture and appearance of paper”.

[0028] The modification of the sheet of polymeric material 10 to providethe sheet of polymeric material with a matte or textured finishassimilating paper in texture and appearance can be accomplished inseveral ways. For example, a matte finish can be provided by printing adesired pattern on the sheet of polymeric material 10 and thereafterlaminating a matte material, such as a translucent polymeric film, overthe printed pattern. To further enhance the texture and appearanceassimilating paper of the sheet of polymeric material 10, the mattematerial may or may not have a plurality of spatially disposed holesextending therethrough. A matte or textured finish can also be producedby printing a sheet of polymeric material 10 with a matted (i.e. dullfinish) ink, by lacquering at least one surface of the sheet ofpolymeric material 10 with a dull finish lacquer or a matting lacquer,by embossing the sheet of polymeric material 10 to provide an embossedpattern simulating the weave or texture of paper, or by embossing andprinting the sheet of polymeric material to provide embossed and printedpatterns wherein the embossed and printed patterns may be in registry,out of registry, or wherein a portion of the embossed and printedpatterns are in registry and a portion of the embossed and printedpatterns are out of registry. A matte or textured finish capable ofproviding the sheet of polymeric material 10 with a texture andappearance assimilating paper can also be achieved by extruding apolymeric resin onto a matted or textured chill roll or by laminating asecond sheet of material to the sheet of polymeric material 10. A matteor textured finish capable of providing the sheet of polymeric material10 with a texture and appearance assimilating paper can also be achievedthrough the use of selected pigments, such as TiO₂.

[0029] The sheet of polymeric material 10 having a texture andappearance assimilating paper has an upper surface 14, a lower surface16, and an outer peripheral edge 18. At least one surface of the sheetof polymeric material 10, such as the lower surface 16, is matted ortextured as described above to provide the sheet of polymeric material10 with a texture and appearance assimilating paper. The outerperipheral edge 18 of the sheet of polymeric material 10 comprises afirst side 20, a second side 22, a third side 24, and a fourth side 26.A bonding material 27 (FIG. 2) may be disposed on at least a portion ofone or both surfaces 14 and 16 of the sheet of polymeric material 10,such as the upper surface 14 thereof as shown in FIG. 2 and as furtherillustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 5,181,364, the specification of which ishereby expressly incorporated herein by reference.

[0030] The sheet of polymeric material 10 having a texture andappearance assimilating paper may be employed to provide a decorativecover for a floral grouping (FIGS. 3 through 6) or a decorative coverfor a flower pot (FIG. 7); to form a preformed flower pot cover forcovering a flower pot (FIGS. 10 and 11); to provide a sleeve forwrapping or covering a floral grouping (FIGS. 13 through 16) or a flowerpot (FIGS. 17 through 19); or to provide a ribbon material FIGS. 20Athrough 20C). The use of the sheet of polymeric material 10 to form adecorative cover for a floral grouping or a flower pot wherein thedecorative cover is provided with a texture and appearance assimilatingthe texture and appearance of paper, or to form a sleeve for a floralgrouping or a flower pot wherein the sleeve is provided with a textureand appearance assimilating the texture and appearance of paper, or toform a preformed flower pot cover having a texture and appearanceassimilating the texture and appearance of paper, or as a ribbonmaterial having a texture and appearance assimilating the texture andappearance of paper will be described in more complete detail herein.

[0031] As noted above, the sheet of polymeric material 10 having atexture and appearance assimilating the texture and appearance of papercan be utilized to form a decorative cover for a floral grouping or aflower pot. The term “flower pot” as used herein refers to any type ofcontainer for holding a floral grouping, or a plant, or even anotherpot-type container. Examples of flower pots and/or pot-type containersinclude, but are not limited to, clay pots, wooden pots, plastic pots,pots made from natural and/or synthetic fibers, or any combinationthereof. Such flower pots and/or pot-type containers are provided with aretaining space for receiving a floral grouping. The floral grouping maybe disposed within the retaining space of the flower pot with a suitablegrowing medium described in further detail below, or other retainingmedium, such as a floral foam. It will also be understood that in somecases the floral grouping, and any appropriate growing medium or otherretaining medium, may be disposed in a sleeve formed from the sheet ofpolymeric material 10 if the sleeve is adapted to contain a medium.

[0032] “Floral grouping” as used herein means cut fresh flowers,artificial flowers, a single flower or other fresh and/or artificialplants or other floral materials and may include other secondary plantsand/or ornamentation or artificial or natural materials which add to theaesthetics of the overall floral grouping. Further, the floral groupingmay comprise a growing potted plant having a root portion as well.However, it will be appreciated that the floral grouping may consist ofonly a single bloom or only foliage, or a botanical item (not shown), ora propagule. The term “floral grouping” may be used interchangeablyherein with the term “floral arrangement”. The term “floral grouping”may also be used interchangeably herein with the terms “botanical item”and/or “propagule.”

[0033] The term “growing medium” when used herein means any liquid,solid or gaseous material used for plant growth or for the cultivationof propagules, including organic and inorganic materials such as soil,humus, perlite, vermiculite, sand, water, and including the nutrient,fertilizers or hormones or combinations thereof required by the plantsor propagules for growth.

[0034] The term “botanical item” when used herein means a natural orartificial herbaceous or woody plant, taken singularly or incombination. The term “botanical item” also means any portion orportions of natural or artificial herbaceous or woody plants includingstems, leaves, flowers, blossoms, buds, blooms, cones, or roots, takensingularly or in combination, or in groupings of such portions such asbouquets or floral groupings.

[0035] The term “propagule” when used herein means any structure capableof being propagated or acting as an agent of reproduction includingseeds, shoots, stems, runners, tubers, plants, leaves, roots or spores.

[0036] In the embodiments shown in the drawings, the sheet of polymericmaterial 10 having a texture and appearance assimilating paper intexture and appearance is square. It will be appreciated, however, thatthe sheet of polymeric material 10 having a texture and appearanceassimilating paper in texture and appearance can be of any shape,configuration or size as long as the sheet of polymeric material 10 issufficiently sized and shaped to wrap and encompass a floral grouping ora flower pot. For example, the sheet of polymeric material 10 may have arectangular, round, oval, octagonal or asymmetrical shape. Further,multiple sheets of the polymeric material 10 may be used in a singlecircumstance to cling material contactingly engage and connect to otherportions of provide a decorative cover or sleeve for a floral groupingor a flower pot. Moreover, when multiple sheets of the polymericmaterial 10 having a texture and appearance assimilating paper intexture and appearance are used in combination, the sheets of polymericmaterial 10 need not be uniform in size or shape. Finally, it will beappreciated that the sheet of polymeric material 10 having a texture andappearance assimilating the texture and appearance of paper shown hereinis a substantially flat sheet except for the texturing, matting,embossing, flocking, application of a foamable lacquer or foamable ink,or other treatments and techniques employed to provide the sheet ofpolymeric material 10 with the desired texture or matting so that thesheet of polymeric material 10 has a texture and appearance assimilatingthe texture and appearance of paper.

[0037] Any thickness or stiffness of the sheet of polymeric material 10may be utilized in accordance with the present invention as long as thesheet of polymeric material 10 can be modified to provide the sheet ofpolymeric material with a texture and appearance assimilating thetexture and appearance of paper and the sheet of polymeric material 10having a texture and appearance assimilating paper can be wrapped aboutat least a portion of a floral grouping or a flower pot to form adecorative cover for the floral grouping or the flower pot, or formedinto a preformed flower pot cover for covering a flower pot, or a sleevefor wrapping or covering a floral grouping or a flower pot, or toprovide a ribbon material. Generally, the sheet of polymeric material 10will have a thickness of from about 0.1 mil to about 30 mil, and moredesirably a thickness of from about 0.5 mil to about 10 mil.

[0038] The terms “polymer film”, “polymeric film” and “polymericmaterial” when used herein means a synthetic polymer such as apolypropylene or polyethylene, a naturally occurring polymer such ascellophane, an extruded polymeric material having an expanded core suchas extruded polypropylene having an expanded core and combinationsthereof. The extruded polymeric material having an expanded core mayalso be referred to herein as an expanded core polymeric material.

[0039] “Extruded polymeric material having an expanded core” or“expanded core polymeric film” as used herein means any extrudablepolymeric material or polymeric film in which the core is expandedduring extrusion, such as by incorporation of a blowing agent in thepolymeric resin which is being extruded.

[0040] The sheet of polymeric material 10 having a texture andappearance of paper may also be constructed, in whole or in part, from acling material. “Cling material” when used herein means any materialwhich is capable of connecting to the sheet of material and/or itselfupon contacting engagement during the wrapping process and is wrappableabout an item whereby portions of the another material, or,alternatively, itself, for generally securing the material wrapped aboutat least a portion of a flower pot. This connecting engagement ispreferably temporary in that the material may be easily removed, i.e.,the cling material “clings” to the flower pot.

[0041] The cling material is constructed and treated if necessary, frompolyethylene such as Cling Wrap made by Glad®, First Brands Corporation,Danbury, Conn. The thickness of the cling material will, in part, dependupon the size of sleeve and the size of the flower pot in the sleeve,i.e., generally, a larger flower pot may require a thicker and thereforestronger cling material. The cling material will range in thickness fromabout 0.1 mil to about 10 mil, and more desirably from about 0.5 mil toabout 2.5 mil. However, any thickness of cling material may be utilizedin accordance with the present invention which permits the clingmaterial to be modified as hereinbefore described to provide the clingmaterial with a texture and appearance assimilating the texture andappearance of paper.

[0042] A decorative cover for a floral grouping (FIGS. 3 through 6), ora decorative cover for a flower pot (FIG. 7), or a preformed flower potcover for covering a flower pot (FIGS. 10 and 11), or a sleeve forwrapping or covering a floral grouping (FIGS. 13 through 16) or a flowerpot (FIGS. 17 through 19), or a ribbon material (FIGS. 20A through 20C)may also be constructed of a laminated material having a texture andappearance assimilating paper in texture and appearance (as shown inFIG. 9B and described in more detail hereinafter). The laminatedmaterial having a texture and appearance assimilating the texture andappearance of paper can be produced by laminating two or more sheets ofpolymeric film (such as two or more sheets of polypropylene film or asheet of polypropylene film and a sheet of expanded core polymeric film,such as expanded core polypropylene film), or by laminating a polymericfilm (such as polypropylene film or an expanded core polymeric film) tometallized foil and the like wherein at least one surface of thelaminated material is textured or modified to assimilate the texture andappearance of paper. The only requirements in using a laminated materialhaving a texture and appearance assimilating paper in texture andappearance to form a decorative cover for a floral grouping, or adecorative cover for a flower pot, or a preformed flower pot cover forcovering a flower pot, or a sleeve for wrapping or covering a floralgrouping or a flower pot, or as ribbon material in accordance with thepresent invention is that at least one surface of the laminated materialbe capable of being modified to provide the laminated material with atleast one surface having a texture and appearance assimilating thetexture and appearance of paper and that the laminated material besufficiently flexible or pliable to permit the laminated material to beformed into a decorative cover for a floral grouping, or a decorativecover for a flower pot, or a preformed flower pot cover for covering aflower pot, or a sleeve for wrapping or covering a floral grouping or aflower pot, or to be used as ribbon material. It should also be notedthat two or more separate sheets of polymeric material can be used toform a decorative cover for a floral grouping, or a decorative cover fora flower pot, or a preformed flower pot cover for covering a flower pot,or a sleeve for wrapping or covering a floral grouping or a flower potas long as one of the sheets of polymeric material is modified ortextured to provide same with a texture and appearance assimilatingpaper.

[0043] The sheet of polymeric material 10 or a laminated material (FIG.9B) having a texture and appearance assimilating the texture andappearance of paper may vary in color. Further, the sheet of polymericmaterial 10 or a laminated material may be provided with otherdecorative patterns or designs in addition to the matting, texturing,flocking, application of lacquers or foamable inks, or embossingemployed to impart a paper-like texture and appearance to the sheet ofpolymeric material 10 or the laminated material.

[0044] As illustrated in FIG. 3, the sheet of polymeric material 10 hasa width 30 extending generally between the first side 20 and the secondside 22, respectively, sufficiently sized whereby the sheet of polymericmaterial 10 can be wrapped about and encompass a floral grouping or aflower pot. The sheet of polymeric material 10 has a length 32 extendinggenerally between the third side 24 and the fourth side 26,respectively, sufficiently sized whereby the sheet of polymeric material10 extends over a substantial portion of the floral grouping when thesheet of polymeric material 10 has been wrapped about the floralgrouping in accordance with the present invention, as described indetail herein. The sheet of polymeric material 10 may also be wrappedabout a flower pot to substantially wrap and cover the flower pot inaccordance with the present invention.

[0045] A plurality of sheets of polymeric material 10 having a textureand appearance assimilating the texture and appearance of paper may beconnected together to form a roll as is shown in U.S. Pat. No.5,459,976, issued to Weder et al. on Oct. 24, 1995, entitled “MATERIALAND ADHESIVE STRIP DISPENSER”, the specification of which is herebyexpressly incorporated in its entirety herein by reference.

[0046] FIGS. 3-5 illustrate the use of the sheet of polymeric material10 having a texture and appearance assimilating the texture andappearance of paper for wrapping a floral grouping 34 to provide adecorative cover 36 having a texture and appearance assimilating paper(FIG. 5) for the floral grouping 34 wherein the decorative cover 36 hasan open upper end 38 and a lower end 40. The sheet of polymeric material10 may optionally have the strip of bonding material 27 disposed uponthe upper surface 14, the lower surface 16 or both, such as the strip ofbonding material 27 disposed along at least a portion of the uppersurface 14 of the sheet of polymeric material 10 so that the strip ofbonding material 27 is disposed substantially adjacent the fourth side26 thereof substantially as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. Further, the sheetof polymeric material 10 having a texture and appearance assimilatingthe texture and appearance of paper can be provided either as anindividual sheet or from a pad or roll of material.

[0047] The bonding material 27, if present, may have a backing orrelease strip (not shown). The backing or release strip may be leftapplied for a period of time to the bonding material 27 after it isdisposed on a surface of the sheet of polymeric material 10 prior to itsuse as a wrapping material in order to protect the bonding qualities ofthe strip of bonding material 27.

[0048] In operation, an operator may dispose the sheet of polymericmaterial 10 having a texture and appearance assimilating the texture andappearance of paper on a support surface (not shown) whereby the lowersurface 16 of the sheet of polymeric material 10 (which has beenmodified to provide the sheet of polymeric material 10 with a textureand appearance assimilating the texture and appearance of paper)contacts the support surface.

[0049] Referring more specifically to FIGS. 3-5, the floral grouping 34is placed upon the upper surface 14 of the sheet of polymeric material10 in a diagonal orientation. The floral grouping 34 has an upper bloomor foliage portion 42 and a lower stem portion 44.

[0050] The sheet of polymeric material 10 is then wrapped about thefloral grouping 34 by the operator (FIGS. 4 and 5), the operatoroverlapping a portion of the sheet of polymeric material 10 over anotherportion of the sheet of polymeric material 10. That is, for example, theoperator places the first side 20 of the sheet of polymeric material 10over the floral grouping 34, as shown in FIG. 4. The operator continuesto roll the floral grouping 34 and the sheet of polymeric material 10 inthe direction toward the second side 22 of the sheet of polymericmaterial 10 until the upper surface 14 near the second side 22 firmlyengages the lower surface 16 of the sheet of polymeric material 10,wherein the floral grouping 34 is substantially encompassed by the sheetof polymeric material 10, and wherein the bonding material 27 on theupper surface 14 contacts the lower surface 16 of the sheet of polymericmaterial 10 to provide the decorative cover 36 having a texture andappearance assimilating the texture and appearance of paper whichsubstantially encompasses and surrounds a substantial portion of thefloral grouping 34. FIG. 5 shows the floral grouping 34 wrapped in aconical fashion to provide the decorative cover 36 for the floralgrouping 34 wherein the decorative cover 36 has a texture and appearanceassimilating paper. When the floral grouping 34 is wrapped in a conicalfashion, the bloom portion 42 of the floral grouping 34 is exposed nearthe open upper end of the decorative cover 36, and the stem portion 44of the floral grouping 34 is exposed near the lower end 40 of thedecorative cover 36.

[0051] In another embodiment, illustrated in FIG. 6, the sheet ofpolymeric material 10 having a texture and appearance assimilating paperin texture and appearance is utilized to wrap the floral grouping 34 ina cylindrical fashion. The floral grouping 34 is disposed upon the sheetof polymeric material 10 approximately parallel to the fourth side 26 ofthe sheet of polymeric material 10. The sheet of polymeric material 10is wrapped generally about the stem portion 44 of the floral grouping 34to a position wherein the fourth side 26 of the sheet of polymericmaterial 10 generally overlaps the third side 24 of the sheet ofpolymeric material 10 in a cylindrical fashion. It should be noted thatthe sheet of polymeric material 10 may be wrapped a plurality of timesabout the stem portion 44 of the floral grouping 34 before theoverlapping of the third side 24 and the fourth side 26 of the sheet ofpolymeric material 10. As before, the portion of the sheet of polymericmaterial 10 near the fourth side 26 is disposed generally adjacentanother portion of the sheet of polymeric material 10 and the twoadjacent portions then are brought into contact where they may bebondingly engaged, thereby securing the sheet of polymeric material 10generally about the floral grouping 34 so as to provide a decorativecover 36 a having a texture and appearance assimilating paper for thefloral grouping 34.

[0052] In another version of the invention, the sheet of polymericmaterial 10 having a texture and appearance assimilating the texture andappearance of paper may be used to wrap a flower pot or pot-typecontainer, as noted above. Shown in FIG. 7 is a flower pot designated bythe reference numeral 50 having an open upper end 52, a bottom end 54,an outer peripheral surface 56, and an inner retaining space 58 withinwhich may be disposed a growing medium. The flower pot 50 may contain abotanical item, such as a plant 60, which has an upper portion 62comprising blooms or foliage or both.

[0053] The sheet of polymeric material 10 having a texture andappearance assimilating the texture and appearance of paper may bewrapped about the flower pot 50 by any one of numerous methods used towrap sheets of material about flower pots to form decorative pot coversfor flower pots, such as a decorative cover 61 having a texture andappearance assimilating the texture and appearance of paper disposedabout the flower pot 50 illustrated in FIG. 7. The sheet of polymericmaterial 10 having a texture and appearance assimilating paper may, forexample, be formed by hand about the outer peripheral surface 56 of theflower pot 50 to produce the decorative cover 61 which has theappearance of being fabricated of paper. The decorative cover 61 canthen be secured about the flower pot 50 by a bonding material or by anelastic band 64 such that the open upper end 52 of the flower pot 50remains substantially uncovered by the decorative cover 61 substantiallyas shown in FIG. 7.

[0054] Referring now to FIG. 8, a flower pot cover former and bandapplicator device 66 for forming the sheet of polymeric material 10having a texture and appearance assimilating the texture and appearanceof paper into the decorative cover 61 for the flower pot 50 of FIG. 7 isillustrated. The flower pot cover former and band applicator device 66comprises a band applicator 68 and a flower pot cover former 70. Theflower pot cover former and band applicator device 66 has a supportplatform 72 with an opening 74 formed therein. A band, such as theelastic band 64, is disposed circumferentially about the opening 74 inthe support platform 72.

[0055] The lower surface 16 of the sheet of polymeric material 10 (whichhas been modified to provide the sheet of polymeric material 10 with atextured or matted surface assimilating paper in appearance) ispositioned on an upper surface 76 on the support platform 72 such thatthe sheet of polymeric material 10 is positioned over the opening 74 inthe support platform 72. The flower pot 50 is positioned above the sheetof polymeric material 10 and is moved in a direction indicated by anarrow 78 into the opening 74 of the flower pot cover former and bandapplicator device 66. As the flower pot 50 is moved into the opening 74,the sheet of polymeric material 10 is pressed about the outer peripheralsurface 56 of the flower pot 50, thereby forming the decorative cover 61having a texture and appearance assimilating paper about the flower pot50. The decorative cover 61, which has a texture and appearanceassimilating the texture and appearance of paper, is then secured aboutthe flower pot 50 by the elastic band 64. The flower pot 50 having thedecorative cover 61 secured thereto is then moved in a directionindicated by the arrow 80 out of the opening 74 in the support platform72.

[0056] The elastic band 64 can be applied manually or automatically,such as by the method shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,105,599, issued to Wederet al. on Apr. 21, 1992, which is hereby expressly incorporated hereinby reference. The band 64 can also be applied as a tie using a methodsuch as is described in “Single Station Covering and Fastening System”,U.S. Pat. No. 5,609,009, issued to Weder et al. on Mar. 11, 1997, thespecification of which is hereby expressly incorporated herein byreference. The sheet of polymeric material 10 having a texture andappearance assimilating the texture and appearance of paper can also beapplied automatically about the flower pot 50, for example, by methodsshown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,733,521 and 5,291,721, both of which arehereby expressly incorporated herein by reference.

[0057] Instead of securing the decorative cover 61 about the flower pot50 via the elastic band 64, the decorative cover 61 formed from thesheet of polymeric material 10 having a texture and appearanceassimilating the texture and appearance of paper may be secured to theflower pot 50 by the use of one or more bonding materials. For example,the upper surface 14 of the sheet of polymeric material 10 may have abonding material such as the bonding material 27 disposed upon a portionthereof. When the sheet of polymeric material 10 is disposed about theflower pot 50, at least a portion of the upper surface 14 of the sheetof polymeric material 10 contacts the outer peripheral surface 56 of theflower pot 50 and is thereby bonded and held about the flower pot 50 viathe bonding material 27.

[0058] The bonding material 27 may cover a portion of the upper surface14 of the sheet of polymeric material 10, or the bonding material 27 mayentirely cover the upper surface 14 of the sheet of polymeric material10. The bonding material 27 may be disposed on the upper surface 14 ofthe sheet of polymeric material 10 in the form of a strip or in the formof spaced-apart spots. One method for disposing a bonding material 27 onthe sheet of polymeric material 10 is described in U.S. Pat. No.5,111,637, entitled “Method For Wrapping A Floral Grouping”, issued toWeder, et al. on May 12, 1992, which is expressly incorporated herein byreference.

[0059] The term “bonding material” when used herein can mean anadhesive, frequently a pressure sensitive adhesive, or a cohesive or anyadhesive/cohesive combination having adhesive qualities (i.e., qualitiesof adhesion or adhesion/cohesion, respectively) sufficient to cause theattachment of a portion of the sheet of polymeric material 10 to itself,to the floral grouping 34, or to the flower pot 50. Since the bondingmaterial 27 may comprise either an adhesive or an adhesive/cohesivecombination, it will be appreciated that both adhesives and cohesivesare known in the art, and both are commercially available. When thebonding material 27 is a cohesive, a similar cohesive material must beplaced on the adjacent surface for bondingly contacting and bondinglyengaging with the cohesive material.

[0060] The term “bonding material” also includes materials which areheat sealable and, in this instance, the adjacent portions of thematerial must be brought into contact and then heat must be applied toeffect the seal. The term “bonding material” also includes materialswhich are sonically sealable and vibratory sealable. The term “bondingmaterial” when used herein also means a heat sealing lacquer or hot meltmaterial which may be applied to the material and, in this instance,heat, sound waves, or vibrations, also must be applied to effect thesealing.

[0061] The term “bonding material” when used herein also means any typeof material or thing which can be used to effect the bonding orconnecting of the two adjacent portions of the sheet of polymericmaterial 10 to effect the connection or bonding described herein. Theterm “bonding material” may also include ties, labels, bands, ribbons,strings, tapes (including single or double-sided adhesive tapes),staples or combinations thereof. Some of the bonding material wouldsecure the ends of the material while other bonding materials may bindthe circumference of a wrapper, or a sleeve, or, alternatively and/or inaddition, the bonding materials would secure overlapping folds in thematerial and/or sleeve. Another way to secure the sheet of polymericmaterial 10 about the floral grouping 34 or the flower pot 50 is to heatseal the ends of the material to another portion of the material. Oneway to do this is to contact the ends with an iron of sufficient heat toheat seal the material.

[0062] Alternatively, a cold seal adhesive may be utilized as thebonding material 27. The cold seal adhesive adheres only to a similarsubstrate, acting similarly as a cohesive, and binds only to itself. Thecold seal adhesive, since it bonds only to a similar substrate, does notcause a residue to build up on equipment, thereby both permitting muchmore rapid disposition and use of such equipment to form articles andreducing labor costs. Further, since no heat is required to effect theseal, the dwell time, that is, the time for the sheet of material toform and retain the shape of an article, such as a flower pot cover orflower pot, is reduced. A cold seal adhesive binds quickly and easilywith minimal pressure, and such a seal is not readily releasable. Thischaracteristic is different from, for example, a pressure sensitiveadhesive.

[0063] The term “bonding material” when used herein also means any heator chemically shrinkable material, and static electric or otherelectrical material, chemical welding material, magnetic material,mechanical or barb-type fastening material or clamps, curl-typecharacteristics of the film or materials incorporated in material whichcan cause the material to take on certain shapes, cling films, slots,grooves, shrinkable materials and bands, curl materials, springs, andany type of welding method which may weld portions of the material toitself or to the pot, or to both the material itself and the pot.

Description of FIGS. 9-12

[0064] Referring now to FIGS. 10 and 11, a decorative preformed flowerpot cover 110 is illustrated constructed from a sheet of polymericmaterial having at least one surface thereof textured or modified toprovide the sheet of polymeric material with a texture and appearanceassimilating the texture and appearance of paper. The polymeric materialhaving a texture and appearance assimilating the texture and appearanceof paper is a flexible material such as the sheet of polymeric material10 having a texture and appearance assimilating the texture andappearance of paper (FIG. 1), or a sheet of flexible polymeric material112 having a texture and appearance assimilating the texture andappearance of paper (FIG. 9A) or a flexible laminated sheet of material112 a having a texture and appearance assimilating the texture andappearance of paper (FIG. 9B). In the embodiment shown in FIG. 9A, thesheet of flexible polymeric material 112 having a texture and appearanceassimilating the texture and appearance of paper used in theconstruction of the decorative preformed flower pot cover 110 comprisesa sheet of expanded core polymeric material 114 having an upper surface116, a lower surface 118 and a thickness in the range of from about 0.5mil to about 10 mil, more desirably in the range of from about 0.6 milto about 1.25 mil. The sheet of expanded core polymeric material 114 isprovided with a coating of an acrylic heat sealable lacquer 120 disposedon at least one of the upper and lower surfaces 116 and 118 thereof. Itshould be understood, however, that the sheet of flexible polymericmaterial 112 is not limited to being the sheet of expanded corepolymeric film 114 having a texture and appearance assimilating thetexture and appearance of paper; rather, the sheet of flexible polymericmaterial 112 can be any flexible polymeric material or flexiblelaminated material, such as the sheet of polymeric material 10 or thesheet of flexible laminated polymeric material 112 a, which can bemodified or textured so that at least one surface of such polymericmaterial or laminated material is provided with a finish or textureassimilating paper in appearance.

[0065] As previously stated, the modification of the polymeric materialor laminated polymeric material, such as the sheet of polymeric material10, the sheet of flexible laminated polymeric material 112 a, or thesheet of expanded core polymeric film 114 to provide the sheet offlexible material with the desire matte or textured finish, can beaccomplished by printing a desired pattern on the sheet of polymericmaterial and thereafter laminating a matte material, such as atranslucent polymeric film over the printed pattern. To further enhancethe texture and appearance of the sheet of polymeric material so thatthe sheet of polymeric material assimilates the texture and appearanceof paper, the matte material may or may not have a plurality ofspatially disposed holes extending therethrough. A matte or texturedfinish can also be produced by printing a sheet of polymeric materialwith a matted (i.e. dull finish) ink, by lacquering at least one surfaceof the sheet of polymeric material with a dull finish lacquer or amatting lacquer, by embossing the sheet of polymeric material to providean embossed pattern assimilating the texture and appearance of paper, orby embossing and printing the sheet of polymeric material to provideembossed and printed patterns wherein the embossed and printed patternsmay be in registry, out of registry, or wherein a portion of theembossed and printed patterns are in registry and a portion of theembossed and printed patterns are out of registry. In addition, a matteor textured finish capable of providing the sheet of flexible polymericmaterial with a texture and appearance assimilating the texture andappearance of paper can be achieved by extruding a polymeric resin ontoa matted or textured chill roll to produce the expanded core polymericmaterial, or by laminating a second sheet of material to the sheet ofpolymeric material, or by the use of selected pigments.

[0066] The sheet of flexible polymeric material 112 (FIG. 9A) having atexture and appearance assimilating the texture and appearance of papermay vary in color. Further, the sheet of flexible polymeric material 112may be provided with other decorative patterns or designs in addition tothe matting, texturing, flocking, application of lacquers or foamableinks, or embossing employed to impart a texture and appearanceassimilating the texture and appearance of paper to the sheet offlexible polymeric material 112.

[0067] When the sheet of polymeric material, such as the sheet offlexible polymeric material 112, is formed into the decorative preformedflower pot cover 110, a plurality of overlapping folds 122 are formed,and at least a portion of the overlapping folds 122 are connected toadjacently disposed portions of the decorative preformed flower potcover 110 via the acrylic heat sealable lacquer 120.

[0068] As shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, the decorative preformed pot cover110 has an upper end 125, a lower end 126, and an outer peripheralsurface 128. An opening 130 intersects the upper end 125, forming aninner peripheral surface 132 which defines and encompasses a retainingspace 133 within which a flower pot 134 containing a floral grouping 136may be disposed in a manner well known in the art.

[0069] In another embodiment, a sheet of flexible polymeric material 112a (FIG. 9B) is used in the construction of the decorative preformedflower pot cover 110. The sheet of flexible polymeric material 112 a isa laminated material which comprises a first sheet of material 114 ahaving an upper surface 116 a and a lower surface 118 a, and a secondsheet of material 120 a. At least one surface of the first sheet ofmaterial 114 a or the second sheet of material 120 a is modified toprovide the sheet of flexible laminated polymeric material 112 a withthe desired texture and appearance assimilating the texture andappearance of paper. The sheet of flexible laminated polymeric material112 a having a texture and appearance assimilating the texture andappearance of paper can be produced by laminating two or more sheets ofpolymeric film (such as two or more sheets of polypropylene film or asheet of polypropylene film and a sheet of expanded core polymeric film,such as expanded core polypropylene film), or by laminating a polymericfilm (such as polypropylene film or an expanded core polymeric film)with a sheet of metallized foil and the like wherein at least onesurface of the sheet of flexible laminated polymeric material 112 a istextured or modified to assimilate paper in appearance.

[0070] The first sheet of material 114 a desirably has a thickness offrom about 0.5 mil to about 10 mil, and more desirably from about 0.6mil to about 1.25 mil, and the second sheet of material 120 a desirablyhas a thickness of from about 0.5 mil to about 10 mil, and moredesirably from about 0.6 mil to about 1.25 mils. The second sheet ofmaterial 120 a can be laminated to the first sheet of material 114 awith a colored adhesive so as to impart a desired color to the laminatedsheet of flexible polymeric material 112 a. While the thickness of thesheet of flexible laminated polymeric material 112 a can vary widely andwill generally depend on the thickness of the first sheet of material114 a and the thickness of the second sheet of material 120 a, desirableresults can be obtained where the sheet of flexible laminated polymericmaterial 112 a has a thickness in the range of from about 1 mil to about20 mil, and more desirably from about 1.2 mil to about 2.5 mil.

[0071] As previously stated, the decorative preformed flower pot cover110 may be constructed of the sheet of polymeric material 10 having atexture and appearance assimilating the texture and appearance of paper(FIG. 1), or of the sheet of flexible polymeric material 112 (FIG. 9A),or of the laminated sheet of flexible polymeric material 112 a (FIG.9B). The decorative preformed flower pot cover 110 so formed will have aplurality of overlapping folds 122 formed therein, at least a portionthereof being connected. If desired, the decorative preformed flower potcover 110 can be formed of a plurality of sheets of the same and/ordifferent types of material.

[0072] The method and apparatus employed to form the decorativepreformed flower pot cover 110 having a texture and appearance of paperis substantially identical whether one uses one or more sheets ofpolymeric material 10 (FIG. 1), or one or more sheets of flexiblepolymeric material 112 (FIG. 9A), or one or more sheets of flexiblelaminated polymeric material 112 a (FIG. 9B), or a combination of suchsheets of material. Thus, only the formation of the decorative preformedflower pot cover 110 having a texture and appearance of paper using thesheet of flexible polymeric material 112 of FIG. 9A will be described indetail hereinafter.

[0073] The decorative preformed flower pot cover 110 may be formed usinga conventional mold system 140 comprising a male mold 142 and a femalemold 144 having a mold cavity 146 for matingly receiving the male mold142 (FIG. 12). The sheet of flexible polymeric material 112 having atexture and appearance assimilating the texture and appearance of paperis positioned between the male and female molds 142 and 144,respectively. Movement of the male mold 142 in the direction indicatedby an arrow 148 and into the mold cavity 146 forces the sheet offlexible polymeric material 112 to be disposed about the portion of themale mold 142 disposed in the mold cavity 146 of the female mold 144 andthereby forms the sheet of flexible polymeric material 112 into thepreformed decorative flower pot cover 110 having a texture andappearance assimilating the texture and appearance of paper (FIGS. 10and 11). Further, in accordance with the present invention, thedecorative preformed flower pot cover 110 constructed from the materialsdescribed herein above may have a bonding material disposed upon aportion thereof.

[0074] Methods for forming such preformed decorative pot covers are wellknown in the art. Two methods of forming such covers are described inU.S. Pat. Nos. 4,773,182 and 5,291,721, each of which is expresslyincorporated herein by reference.

Description of FIGS. 13-19

[0075] Shown in FIG. 13 is a decorative cover designated therein by thegeneral reference numeral 160 which comprises a flexible bag or sleeve162 of unitary construction having a texture and appearance assimilatingthe texture and appearance of paper in accordance with the presentinvention. The sleeve 162 may be used as a decorative cover 160 for afloral grouping or a flower pot. The sleeve 162 initially comprises aflexible flat collapsed piece of polymeric material which is openable inthe form of a tube or sleeve. Such sleeves are well known in the floralindustry. Further, in accordance with the present invention, thedecorative cover 160 can be constructed of the sheet of flexiblepolymeric material 10 (FIG. 1), or the sheet of flexible polymericmaterial 112 (FIG. 9A), or the sheet of laminated flexible polymericmaterial 112 a (FIG. 9B) whereby at least a portion of one surface ofthe sleeve 162, preferably an outer peripheral surface 164 of the sleeve162, has been modified to provide the sleeve 162 with a texture andappearance assimilating the texture and appearance of paper, aspreviously described herein.

[0076] The sleeve 162 has an upper end 166, a lower end 168 and theouter peripheral surface 164. The sleeve 162 may be tapered outwardlyfrom the lower end 168 toward a larger diameter at its upper end 166. Inits flattened state the sleeve 162 generally has an overall trapezoidalor modified trapezoidal shape, and when opened is substantiallyfrusto-conical in configuration. It will be appreciated, however, thatthe sleeve 162 may comprise variations on the aforementioned shapes ormay comprise significantly altered shapes such as square or rectangular,wherein the sleeve 162 when opened has a cylindrical form, as long asthe sleeve 162 functions in accordance with the present invention in themanner described herein. The sleeve 162 (or any other sleeve disclosedherein) may have an angular or contoured shape.

[0077] The sleeve 162 has an opening 170 at the upper end 166 thereofand may be open at the lower end 168, or closed with a bottom at thelower end 168. The sleeve 162 also has an inner peripheral surface 172which, when the sleeve 162 is opened, defines and encompasses an innerretaining space 174. When the lower end 168 of the sleeve 162 is closed,a portion of the lower end 168 may be inwardly folded to form one ormore gussets (not shown) for allowing the lower portion of the innerretaining space 174 to be expandable, for example, for receiving thecircular bottom of a pot or growing medium.

[0078] The sleeve 162 is generally frusto-conically shaped, but thesleeve 162 may be, by way of example but not by way of limitation,cylindrical, frusto-conical, a combination of both frusto-conical andcylindrical, or any other shape, as long as the sleeve 162 functions asdescribed herein as noted above. Further, the sleeve 162 may compriseany shape, whether geometric, non-geometric, asymmetrical and/orfanciful, as long as it functions in accordance with the presentinvention. The sleeve 162 may also be equipped with drain holes (ifhaving a closed bottom) or side ventilation holes (not shown), or can bemade from gas permeable or impermeable materials.

[0079] The material from which the sleeve 162 is constructed is the sameas previously described above for the sheet of polymeric material 10having a texture and appearance assimilating the texture and appearanceof paper, or the sheet of flexible polymeric material 112 or 112 ahaving a texture and appearance assimilating paper. Any thickness ofpolymeric material may be utilized in accordance with the presentinvention as long as the sleeve 162 may be formed as described herein,is provided with a texture and appearance assimilating the texture andappearance of paper, and as long as the formed sleeve 162 may contain atleast a portion of a flower pot or a floral grouping, as describedherein. Additionally, an insulating material such as bubble film,preferable as one of two or more layers, can be utilized in order toprovide additional protection for the item, such as a floral grouping,contained therein.

[0080] In FIG. 14 the sleeve 162 is illustrated as having a texture andappearance assimilating the texture and appearance of paper provided onthe outer peripheral surface 164 of the sleeve 162. A floral grouping176 is disposed within the inner retaining space 174 of the sleeve 162.Generally, an upper or bloom portion 178 of the floral grouping 176 isexposed near the opening 170 of the sleeve 162 and a lower or stemportion 180 of the floral grouping 176 is exposed near the lower end 168of the sleeve 162. Either end of the sleeve 162 may be closed about thefloral grouping 176. Generally, a portion of the sleeve 162 is tightenedabout a portion of the stem portion 180 of the floral grouping 176 forholding the decorative cover 160 about the floral grouping 176. Forexample, the sleeve 162 may be held by a tie 182 tied about the sleeve162, such as is shown in FIG. 14. Other methods for binding the sleeve162 about the floral grouping 176 may be employed, such as the bondingmaterials described elsewhere herein. For example, as shown in FIG. 15,a decorative cover 160 a is shown which comprises a sleeve 162 a havinga texture and appearance assimilating the texture and appearance ofpaper and a cinching tab 184 having a bonding material 186 disposed upona surface thereof. The cinching tab 184 can be used to gather portionsof the sleeve 162 a together about the stem portion 180 of the floralgrouping 176 as shown in FIG. 16 for holding the sleeve 162 a tightlyabout the floral grouping 176.

[0081] Similarly, it may generally be desired to use the sleeve 162 as adecorative cover for a flower pot, as will be described in furtherdetail below. The flower pot will generally contain a botanical item orplant. The flower pot can be deposited into the open sleeve 162 in amanner well known in the art, such as manually wherein the sleeve 162 isopened by hand and the flower pot deposited therein.

[0082] As noted above, a bonding material may be disposed on a portionof the sleeve 162 or any sleeve described herein to assist in holdingthe sleeve 162 to the flower pot when the flower pot is disposed withinthe sleeve 162 or to assist in closing the upper end 166 of the sleeve162 or adhering the sleeve 162 to the flower pot after the flower pothas been disposed therein, as will be discussed in further detail below.

[0083] It will be understood that the bonding material, if present, maybe disposed as a strip or block on a surface of the sleeve 162. Thebonding material may also be disposed upon either the outer peripheralsurface 164 or the inner peripheral surface 172 of the sleeve 162, aswell as upon the flower pot. Further, the bonding material may bedisposed as spots of bonding material, or in any other geometric,non-geometric, asymmetric, or fanciful form, and in any pattern,including covering either the entire inner peripheral surface 172 and/orouter peripheral surface 164 of the sleeve 162 and/or the flower pot.The bonding material may be covered by a cover or release strip whichcan be removed prior to the use of the sleeve 162 or flower pot. Thebonding material can be applied by methods known to those of ordinaryskill in their art. One method for disposing a bonding material, in thiscase an adhesive, is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,111,637, issued toWeder et al. on May 12, 1993, which is hereby expressly incorporatedherein by reference.

[0084] As noted above, a bonding material may be disposed on at least aportion of the inner peripheral surface 172 of the sleeve 162, or,alternatively, the bonding material may be disposed on the outerperipheral surface of a flower pot contained within the sleeve 162 whilethe sleeve 162 may be free of the bonding material. In a furtheralternative, the bonding material may be disposed both on at least aportion of the flower pot as well as upon at least a portion of theinner peripheral surface 172 of the sleeve 162. In addition, a portionof the bonding material may also be disposed on the outer peripheralsurface 164 of the sleeve 162 as well. It will be understood that thebonding material may be disposed in a solid section of bonding material.The bonding material, when present, is disposed on the sleeve 162 and/orflower pot by any method known in the art.

[0085] Certain versions of sleeves described herein may be used incombination with a preformed pot cover. For example, a preformed potcover may be applied to the pot, then the covered pot wrapped ordisposed within a sleeve. Either the cover or the sleeve, or both, havea texture and appearance assimilating the texture and appearance ofpaper. Examples of sleeves which may be used in this invention are shownin the specification of U.S. Pat. No. 5,625,979, issued to Weder on May6, 1997, which is expressly incorporated herein by reference in itsentirety. Equipment and devices for forming sleeves are commerciallyavailable, and well known in the art.

[0086] Shown in FIGS. 17 and 18 is another embodiment of a decorativecover 160 b comprising a sleeve 162 b having a texture and appearanceassimilating the texture and appearance of paper constructed from thesheet of polymeric material 10 or the sheet of flexible polymericmaterial 112 or 112 a in accordance with the present invention. Thesleeve 162 b has a “detaching” element in predetermined areas fordetaching a portion of the sleeve 162 b. The sleeve 162 b generallyinitially comprises a flexible flat collapsed piece of material which isopenable in the form of a tube or sleeve. The sleeve 162 b isconstructed of the same material and in the same way as the sleeve 162described previously herein and may be described exactly the same as thesleeve 162 described herein except for the additional elements describedhereinafter.

[0087] The sleeve 162 b has an upper end 166 b, a lower end 168 b, andan outer peripheral surface 164 b. The sleeve 162 b has an opening 170 bat the upper end 166 b thereof, and the sleeve 162 b may be open at thelower end 168 b or closed with a bottom at the lower end 168 b. In aflattened state, the sleeve 162 b has a first side 171 and a second side173. The sleeve 162 b also has an inner peripheral surface 172 b which,when the sleeve 162 b is opened, defines and encompasses an innerretaining space 174 b as shown in FIG. 18. When the lower end 168 b ofthe sleeve 162 b has a closed bottom, a portion of the lower end 168 bmay be inwardly folded to form one or more gussets (not shown) forpermitting a circular bottom of an object such as a flower pot 187 to bedisposed in the inner retaining space 174 b of the lower end 168 b ofthe sleeve 162 b.

[0088] As shown in FIGS. 17 and 18, the sleeve 162 b is demarcated intoan upper portion 188 and a lower portion 190. The lower portion 190 ofthe sleeve 162 b is generally sized to contain the flower pot 187. Theupper portion 188 of the sleeve 162 b is sized to substantially surroundand encompass a plant 192 contained in the flower pot 187 disposedwithin the lower portion 190 of the sleeve 162 b. The sleeve 162 b isdemarcated into the upper portion 188 and the lower portion 190 by adetaching element 194 for enabling the detachment of the upper portion188 of the sleeve 162 b from the lower portion 190 of the sleeve 162 b.In the present version, the detaching element 194 is a plurality ofgenerally laterally-oriented or alternatingly diagonally-orientedperforations which extend circumferentially across the outer peripheralsurface 164 b of the sleeve 162 b from the first side 171 to the secondside 173.

[0089] In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 17 and 18, the lower portion 190of the sleeve 162 b further comprises a base portion 196 and a skirtportion 198. The base portion 196 of the lower portion 190 of the sleeve162 b comprises that part of the lower portion 190 of the sleeve 162 bwhich, when the flower pot 187 is placed into the lower portion 190 ofthe sleeve 162 b, has an inner peripheral surface 172 b which issubstantially adjacent to and surrounds an outer peripheral surface 199of the flower pot 187. The skirt portion 198 of the lower portion 190 ofthe sleeve 162 b comprises that part of the lower portion 190 of thesleeve 162 b which extends beyond an open upper end 201 of the flowerpot 187 and adjacent at least a portion of the plant 192 containedwithin the flower pot 187 and which is left to freely extend at anangle, inwardly or outwardly, from the base portion 196 when the upperportion 188 of the sleeve 162 b is detached from the lower portion 190of the sleeve 162 b by actuation of the detaching element 194.

[0090] In the intact sleeve 162 b, the skirt portion 198 of the sleeve162 b comprises an upper peripheral edge congruent with the detachingelement 194 which is connected to a lower peripheral edge, alsocongruent with the detaching element 194, of the upper portion 188 ofthe sleeve 162 b. In FIGS. 17 and 18, the upper peripheral edge of theskirt portion 198 of the sleeve 162 b is congruent with a series ofalternatingly diagonally-oriented lines of perforations which togetherform a zig-zag and comprise the detaching element 194. The upper portion188 of the sleeve 162 b may also have an additional detaching element200 indicated as a plurality of vertical perforations for facilitatingremoval of the upper portion 188 of the sleeve 162 b and which aredisposed more or less vertically therein extending between the detachingelement 194 of the sleeve 162 b and the upper end 166 b of the sleeve162 b.

[0091] The upper portion 188 of the sleeve 162 b is thereby separablefrom the lower portion 190 of the sleeve 162 b by tearing the upperportion 188 along both the detaching element 200 and the detachingelement 194, thereby separating the upper portion 188 from the lowerportion 190 of the sleeve 162 b. The lower portion 190 of the sleeve 162b remains disposed as the base portion 196 about the flower pot 187 andas the skirt portion 198 about the plant 192, forming a decorative cover202, as shown in FIG. 19, which substantially surrounds and encompassesthe flower pot 187 and the plant 192 contained therein. An outerperipheral surface 164 b of the lower portion 190 of the sleeve 162 b,for example, the base and skirt portions 196 and 198, may be modified toprovide the lower portion 190 of the sleeve 162 b with a texture andappearance assimilating the texture and appearance of paper, while theupper portion 188 of the sleeve 162 b is left unmodified or is printedwith a design; or both the upper portion 188 and the lower portion 190of the sleeve 162 b may be provided with a modified or textured surfaceso that both the upper portion 188 and the lower portion 190 of thesleeve 162 b is provided with a texture or appearance assimilatingpaper. When the upper portion 188 of the sleeve 162 b is detached, thelower portion 190 of the sleeve 162 b remains disposed about the flowerpot 187 and thereby forms the decorative cover 202 about the flower pot187 which has the appearance of paper.

[0092] “Detaching element” as used herein means any element, orcombination of elements, or features, such as, but not by way oflimitation, perforations, tear strips, zippers, and any other devices orelements of this nature known in the art, or any combination thereof.Therefore, while perforations are shown and described in detail herein,it will be understood that tear strips, zippers, or any other “detachingelements” known in the art, or any combination thereof, could besubstituted therefor and/or used therewith.

[0093] In a general method of use of sleeve 162 b as a decorative cover202 for a flower pot, an operator provides the sleeve 162 b and theflower pot 187 having a plant 192 disposed in a growing medium 203contained within the flower pot 187. The operator then disposes theflower pot 176 b having the plant 192 and the growing medium 203contained therein into the sleeve 162 b by opening the sleeve 162 b atthe upper end 166 b thereof and assuring both that the opening 170 btherein is in an open condition, and that the inner peripheral surface172 b of the sleeve 162 b is somewhat expanded outward as well, as shownin FIG. 18. The operator then manually or automatically disposes theflower pot 187 into the opening 170 b in the sleeve 162 b, the flowerpot 187 being disposed generally through the upper portion 188 of thesleeve 162 b into generally the lower portion 190 of the sleeve 162 b,the flower pot 187 remaining in the lower portion 190 of the sleeve 162b, permitting the sleeve 162 b to substantially surround and tightlyencompass the flower pot 187. It will be understood that alternatively,the sleeve 162 b maybe provided with an extension (not shown), and thesleeve 162 b may be disposed on rods or wickets, and the flower pot 187may then be disposed in the sleeve 162 b either before or after thesleeve 162 b has been removed from the wickets.

Embodiments of FIGS. 20A-20C

[0094] Referring now to FIG. 20A, designated generally by the referencenumeral 210 is a polymeric ribbon material having a texture andappearance assimilating the texture and appearance of paper for formingdecorative bows and for wrapping items. That is, at least one surface ofa web of polymeric material (not shown) is modified to provide a matteor textured finish 212 assimilating the appearance of paper. Themodification of the web of polymeric material (not shown) to provide thepolymeric ribbon material 210 with a matte or textured finish 212assimilating paper can be accomplished in several ways. For example, thepolymeric ribbon material 210 having the matte or textured finish 212can be produced by printing a web of polymeric material with a matted(i.e. dull finish) ink, by lacquering at least one surface of the sheetof polymeric material with a dull finish lacquer or a matting lacquer,by embossing the sheet of polymeric material to provide an embossedpattern simulating the texture and appearance of paper, by flocking thesheet of polymeric material, by application of a foamable lacquer orfoamable ink to the sheet of polymeric material, or by embossing andprinting the sheet of polymeric material to provide embossed and printedpatterns, wherein the embossed and printed patterns may be in registry,out of registry, or wherein a portion of the embossed and printedpatterns are in registry and a portion of the embossed and printedpatterns are out of registry. In addition, a matte or textured finish212 capable of providing the sheet of polymeric material with a textureand appearance assimilating the texture and appearance of paper can beachieved by extruding a polymeric resin onto a matted or textured chillroll. Thereafter, the web of material having a texture and appearanceassimilating the texture and appearance of paper can be cut in aconventional manner to provide the polymeric ribbon material 210 havinga texture and appearance assimilating the texture and appearance ofpaper.

[0095] Any polymeric material capable of being textured or otherwisemodified to provide the polymeric material with a texture and appearanceassimilating the texture and appearance of paper can be employed in theformulation of the polymeric ribbon material 210. For example, thepolymeric material employed to produce the polymeric ribbon material 210can be polypropylene film having a thickness of from about 0.1 mil toabout 30 mil, and more desirably of from about 0.5 mil to about 10 mil,or an expanded core polymeric film having a thickness of from about 0.5mil to about 10 mil.

[0096] Referring now to FIG. 20B, designated generally by the referencenumeral 220 is another embodiment of a polymeric ribbon material forforming decorative bows and for wrapping items. The polymeric ribbonmaterial 220 is a laminated material comprising a first web or sheet ofmaterial 222 having a thickness of from about 0.5 mil to about 10 mil,and more desirably from about 0.6 mil to about 1.25 mil, and a secondweb or sheet of material 224 having a thickness of from about 0.5 mil toabout 10 mil, and more desirably from about 0.6 mil to about 1.25 mil.The laminated material having a texture and appearance assimilating thetexture and appearance of paper can be produced by laminating two ormore sheets of polymeric film (such as two or more sheets ofpolypropylene film or a sheet of polypropylene film and a sheet ofexpanded core polymeric film, such as expanded core polypropylene film),or by laminating a polymeric film (such as polypropylene film or anexpanded core polymeric film) with a sheet of metallized foil and thelike wherein at least one surface of the laminated material is texturedor modified to assimilate the texture and appearance of paper. Thesecond web or sheet of material 224 is desirably laminated to the firstweb or sheet of material 222 with a colored adhesive so as to impart adesired color to the polymeric ribbon material 220. If desired thepolymeric ribbon material 220 may be treated or otherwise processed toprovide the polymeric ribbon material 220 with a matte or texturedfinish 226 assimilating paper in appearance so that the polymeric ribbonmaterial 220 has a paper-like appearance similar to the polymeric ribbonmaterial 210 hereinbefore described with reference to FIG. 20A. That is,the matte or textured finish 226 assimilating paper in texture andappearance can be printed on the first web or sheet of material 222, andthereafter the second web or sheet of material 224 (which in this caseis desirably a matte material of translucent polymeric film) islaminated to the first web or sheet of material 222 to provide thepolymeric ribbon material 220 with a texture and appearance assimilatingthe texture and appearance of paper. To further enhance the texture andappearance assimilating the texture and appearance of paper of thepolymeric ribbon material 220, the second web or sheet of material 224may or may not have a plurality of spatially disposed holes extendingtherethrough. The matte or textured finish 226 can be produced byprinting at least one of the first and second webs or sheets of material222 and 224 with a matted (i.e. dull finish) ink, by lacquering at leastone surface of at least one of the first and second webs or sheets ofmaterial 222 and 224 with a dull finish lacquer or a matting lacquer, byflocking at least one of the first and second webs or sheets of material222 and 224, by application of a foamable lacquer or foamable ink to atleast one of the first and second webs or sheets of material 222 and224, by embossing at least one of the first and second webs or sheets ofmaterial 222 and 224 to provide an embossed pattern assimilating theappearance and texture of paper, or by embossing and printing at leastone of the first and second webs or sheets of material 222 and 224 toprovide embossed and printed patterns wherein the embossed and printedpatterns may be in registry, out of registry or wherein a portion of theembossed and printed patterns are in registry and a portion of theembossed and printed patterns are out of registry. In addition, thematte or textured finish 226 capable a providing the polymeric ribbonmaterial 220 with a texture and appearance assimilating the texture andappearance of paper can be achieved by extruding the resin used toproduce one of the first and second webs or sheets of material 222 and224 onto a matted or textured chill roll.

[0097] Referring now to FIG. 20C, designated generally by the referencenumeral 230 is another embodiment of a polymeric ribbon material forforming decorative bows and for wrapping items. The polymeric ribbonmaterial 230 comprises a polymeric film 232 having an upper surface 234,a lower surface 236. An acrylic heat sealable lacquer 238 can applied toat least one of the upper and lower surfaces 234 and 236 of thepolymeric film 232, such as the lower surface 236 of the polymeric film232, and the upper surface 234 of the polymeric film 232 is desirablymodified to provide the polymeric ribbon material 230 with a matte ortextured finish 239 assimilating the texture and appearance of paper.The modification of the polymeric film 232 to provide the polymericribbon material 230 with a texture and appearance assimilating thetexture and appearance of paper can be accomplished in several ways. Forexample, the polymeric ribbon material 230 having the matte or texturedfinish 239 can be produced by printing the polymeric film 232 with amatted (i.e. dull finish) ink, by lacquering at least one surface 234 or236 of the polymeric film 232 with a dull finish lacquer or a mattinglacquer, by flocking the polymeric film 232, by application of afoamable lacquer or foamable ink to the polymeric film 232, by embossingthe polymeric film 232 to provide an embossed pattern assimilating thetexture and appearance of paper, or by embossing and printing thepolymeric film 232 to provide embossed and printed patterns, wherein theembossed and printed patterns may be in registry, out of registry, orwherein a portion of the embossed and printed patterns are in registryand a portion of the embossed and printed patterns are out of registry.In addition, the matte or textured finish 240 capable of providing thepolymeric film 232 with a texture and appearance assimilating thetexture and appearance of paper can be achieved by extruding a polymericresin onto a matted or textured chill roll. Thereafter, the polymericfilm 232 having a texture and appearance assimilating the texture andappearance of paper can be cut in a conventional manner to provide thepolymeric ribbon material 230.

[0098] Any polymeric film capable of being textured or otherwisemodified to provide the polymeric film 232 with a texture and appearanceassimilating the texture and appearance of paper can be employed in theformulation of the polymeric ribbon material 230. For example, thepolymeric film 232 employed to produce the polymeric ribbon material 230can be polypropylene film having a thickness of from about 0.1 mil toabout 30 mill, and more desirably of from about 0.5 mill to about 10mill, or an expanded core polymeric film having a thickness of fromabout 0.6 mil to about 10 mill.

[0099] Changes may be made in the construction and the operation of thevarious components, elements and assemblies described herein or in thesteps or the sequence of steps of the methods described herein withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in thefollowing claims.

Clean version of replacement claims:
 55. (Once Amended) A method forwrapping a floral grouping with a polymeric sleeve wherein at least aportion of one surface thereof has been modified to provide thepolymeric sleeve with an appearance or texture simulating the appearanceor texture of paper, the method comprising the steps of: providing afloral grouping having a bloom portion and a stem portion; providing apolymeric sleeve formed of an expanded core polymeric film having athickness of from about 0.6 mil to about 10 mil, the expanded corepolymeric film having an upper surface and a lower surface wherein atleast a portion of one of the upper and lower surfaces of the expandedcore polymeric film is textured or modified to provide such surface withan appearance or texture simulating the appearance or texture of paperso that at least a portion of the polymeric sleeve formed from theexpanded core polymeric film is also provided with an appearance ortexture simulating the appearance or texture of paper, the polymericsleeve having an upper end, a lower end, an inner peripheral surface, anouter peripheral surface and an inner retaining space; placing thefloral grouping into the inner retaining space of the polymeric sleeve;and binding the polymeric sleeve about the floral grouping by tighteninga portion of the polymeric sleeve about a portion of the stem portion ofthe floral grouping for holding the polymeric sleeve about the floralgrouping, thereby forming a decorative cover for the floral grouping.57. (Once Amended) The method of claim 55 wherein, in the step ofproviding the polymeric sleeve, the polymeric sleeve is provided with abonding material disposed on a portion of the outer peripheral surfaceof the polymeric sleeve, and the expanded core polymeric film from whichthe polymeric sleeve is formed is further provided with an embossedpattern disposed on at least a portion of one surface thereof.
 58. (OnceAmended) The method of claim 55 wherein, in the step of providing thepolymeric sleeve, the polymeric sleeve is provided with a bondingmaterial disposed on a portion of the inner peripheral surface of thepolymeric sleeve.
 59. (Once Amended) The method of claim 55 wherein, inthe step of providing the polymeric sleeve, the polymeric sleeve isprovided with a bonding material disposed on portions of the innerperipheral surface and the outer peripheral surface of the polymericsleeve.
 62. (Once Amended) The method of claim 55 wherein, in the stepof providing the polymeric sleeve, the polymeric sleeve is furtherprovided with a printed pattern disposed on at least a portion of onesurface thereof.
 63. (Once Amended) The method of claim 62 wherein, inthe step of providing the polymeric sleeve, the polymeric sleeve isfurther provided with an embossed pattern disposed on at least a portionof one surface thereof.
 64. (Once Amended) The method of claim 63wherein, in the step of providing the polymeric sleeve, at least aportion of the printed pattern and the embossed pattern are in registrywith one another.
 65. (Once Amended) The method of claim 63 wherein, inthe step of providing the polymeric sleeve, at least a portion of theprinted pattern and the embossed pattern are out of register with oneanother.
 66. (Once Amended) The method of claim 55 wherein, in the stepof providing the polymeric sleeve, the polymeric sleeve is furtherprovided with an embossed pattern disposed on at least a portion of onesurface thereof.
 109. (Once Amended) A method for wrapping a floralgrouping with a polymeric sleeve having at least a portion of onesurface thereof textured or modified so as to provide such portion ofthe polymeric sleeve with an appearance or texture simulating theappearance or texture of paper, comprising: providing a floral groupinghaving a bloom portion and a stem portion; providing a polymeric sleeveformed of a flexible polymeric material having a thickness in the rangeof from about 0.1 mil to about 30 mil, the flexible polymeric materialhaving an upper surface and a lower surface wherein at least a portionof one of the upper and lower surfaces of the flexible polymericmaterial is textured or modified to provide such surface with anappearance or texture simulating the appearance or texture of paper suchthat at least a portion of one surface of the polymeric sleeve is alsoprovided with an appearance or texture simulating the appearance ortexture of paper, the polymeric sleeve having an upper end, a lower end,an inner peripheral surface, an outer peripheral surface, and an innerretaining space; placing the floral grouping into the inner retainingspace of the polymeric sleeve; and binding the polymeric sleeve aboutthe floral grouping by tightening a portion of the polymeric sleeveabout a portion of the stem portion of the floral grouping for holdingthe polymeric sleeve about the floral grouping.
 111. (Once Amended) Themethod of claim 109 wherein, in the step of providing the polymericsleeve, the polymeric sleeve is provided with a bonding materialdisposed on a portion of the outer peripheral surface of the polymericsleeve, and wherein the flexible polymeric material is further providedwith an embossed pattern disposed on at least a portion of one surfacethereof.
 112. (Once Amended) The method of claim 109 wherein, in thestep of providing the polymeric sleeve, the polymeric sleeve is providedwith a bonding material disposed on a portion of the inner peripheralsurface of the polymeric sleeve.
 113. (Once Amended) The method of claim109 wherein, in the step of providing the polymeric sleeve, thepolymeric sleeve is provided with a bonding material disposed onportions of the inner peripheral surface and the outer peripheralsurface of the polymeric sleeve.
 116. (Once Amended) The method of claim109 wherein, in the step of providing the polymeric sleeve, thepolymeric sleeve is further provided with a printed pattern disposed onat least a portion of one surface thereof.
 117. (Once Amended) Themethod of claim 116 wherein, in the step of providing the polymericsleeve, the polymeric sleeve is further provided with an embossedpattern disposed on at least a portion of one surface thereof. 118.(Once Amended) The method of claim 117 wherein, in the step of providingthe polymeric sleeve, at least a portion of the printed pattern and theembossed pattern are in registry with one another.
 119. (Once Amended)The method of claim 117 wherein, in the step of providing the polymericsleeve, at least a portion of the printed pattern and the embossedpattern are out of register with one another.
 120. (Once Amended) Themethod of claim 109 wherein, in the step of providing the polymericsleeve, the polymeric sleeve is further provided with an embossedpattern disposed on at least a portion of one surface thereof.